Tropical Storm Ramil to bring heavy rains to Luzon, PAGASA says
LARGE PARTS of Luzon are expected to experience heavy to torrential rainfall through Monday afternoon, the state weather bureau said on Sunday, as it expects Tropical Storm Ramil (international name: Fengshen) to exit the Philippine area of responsibility (PAR).
In a 5 p.m. advisory on Facebook, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said 100 to 200 millimeters of rain could fall over Zambales, Bataan, Pangasinan, Tarlac, Pampanga, and Batangas.
Another 50 to 100 millimeters is expected in Occidental Mindoro, Palawan, Antique, Cavite, Aurora, Isabela, Bulacan, La Union, Ilocos Sur, Ilocos Norte, Cagayan, Benguet, Quirino, Nueva Vizcaya, Nueva Ecija, Ifugao, Mountain Province, Kalinga, Abra, and Apayao.
In a 5 p.m. bulletin, PAGASA said “Ramil will continue moving west northwestward or northwestward over the West Philippine Sea.” It is expected to exit PAR on Monday morning.
PAGASA said it may intensify and reach severe tropical storm category outside PAR.
As of 4 p.m., the tropical storm was estimated 85 kilometers west northwest of Iba, Zambales.
It has maximum sustained winds of 65 km per hour (kph) near the center and gustiness of up to 80 kph. It is moving west northwestward at 35 kph.
This has prompted the state weather bureau to raise a tropical cyclone wind signal (TCWS) No. 2 over the central and southern portions of La Union, the western and central portions of Pangasinan, Zambales, Tarlac, the western portion of Pampanga, and the northern portion of Bataan.
PAGASA also placed Cagayan including Babuyan Islands, Isabela, Quirino, Nueva Vizcaya, Apayao, Abra, Kalinga, Mountain Province, Ifugao, Benguet, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, the rest of La Union, the rest of Pangasinan, Aurora, the rest of Bataan, the rest of Pampanga, Nueva Ecija, Bulacan, Metro Manila, Rizal, the northern and central portions of Quezon including Polillo Islands, Laguna, Cavite, Batangas, Occidental Mindoro including Lubang Islands, Oriental Mindoro, Marinduque, and the northern and western portions of Camarines Norte under TCWS no. 1.
Power distributor Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) said on Sunday that it is prepared to respond to any possible electricity service concern as Ramil continues to affect parts of Luzon.
In a statement, Meralco said that it continues to closely monitor the weather situation to be able to immediately respond amid tropical cycle wind signals raised in parts of its franchise area.
“Our crews and personnel are strategically positioned and remain on standby 24/7 to address any power-related issues. We urge our customers to prioritize safety and stay alert, especially in areas prone to flooding,” said Meralco Vice-President and Head of Corporate Communications Joe R. Zaldarriaga.
The power distributor has advised its customers to practice electrical safety measures, such as turning off the main power switch or circuit breaker, unplugging all appliances, and turning off permanently connected devices.
Meralco’s controlling stakeholder, Beacon Electric Asset Holdings, Inc., is partly owned by PLDT Inc. Hastings Holdings, Inc., a unit of PLDT Beneficial Trust Fund subsidiary MediaQuest Holdings, Inc., has an interest in BusinessWorld through the Philippine Star Group, which it controls.
Meanwhile, President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. urged the public to remain vigilant and enhance disaster preparedness following a series of earthquakes in Cebu, Baguio, Surigao, Davao, Zambales, and Metro Manila.
“Because the Philippines lies along what is known as the Pacific Ring of Fire, the country is highly prone to disasters and natural calamities such as these,” he said in a video blog posted on Sunday in Filipino, citing the importance of family evacuation plans, maintaining emergency “go bags,” and verifying information only from official government sources such as PAGASA and Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology.
He emphasized the need for compliance with building safety standards and local government coordination, noting that government agencies, including the Department of Social Welfare and Development, have prepositioned relief packs and emergency supplies.
The Pacific Ring of Fire is known for frequent earthquakes and volcanic eruptions caused by shifting tectonic plates.
As part of this region, the Philippines is highly vulnerable to seismic and volcanic hazards, making disaster preparedness essential. — Chloe Mari A. Hufana and Sheldeen Joy Talavera
